Beautiful Results of Pro-Life Movement in the Philippines

HLI’s work in the Philippines is yielding beautiful results! Dr. Rene Bullecer, HLI’s country director in the Philippines, recalls meeting Attorney Ramon and Mrs. Victoria Bayan in Iloilo City for the National Family & Life Congress. The two embraced Dr. Bullecer and recalled a conference in 2018 in Baguio City. At this pro-life conference, Dr. Bullecer spoke about the value of human life and how there is a global push to sell abortion. The couple said, “After that conference, my wife and I were sleepless.” They went to their bishop to tell him of their plan to coordinate the Diocesan Commission on Family & Life “…to help the needs of the families and in the promotion and defense of life and family.” The bishop supported them, and a month later, the Commission was up and running! The couple thanked Dr. Bullecer, saying, “Again, Dr. Rene, it was your presence that challenged us that caused us to move and until now, we are at the forefront of this crusade.” Praise God for Dr. Bullecer’s inspiration to this couple to fight for the culture of life!

Attorney Ramon and Mrs. Victoria Bayan with Dr. Rene Bullecer

Elsewhere in the Philippines, in Bayugan City, Mr. Gabriel and Imelda Jalina attended a Lenten recollection in February that was led by Dr. Bullecer. The couple approached Dr. Bullecer after the recollection and asked if they could share a testimony. Imelda took the microphone and immediately started crying. She recalled to the audience how she decided to have an IUD inserted after she married Gabriel – a decision she now regrets. In 2006, she had attended another pro-life talk by Dr. Bullecer, and she began wondering whether she should remove her IUD. Ultimately, she decided to keep it. But just a year later, she discovered she was pregnant. Her OB told her that removing the IUD would cause the death of the unborn child, and Imelda declined the offer to take out the IUD and entrusted everything to God. At eight months of pregnancy, she went to the hospital for abdominal pain, and the doctors found that the IUD was just about to completely pierce through her uterus. They performed a C-section to save her and the baby, and miraculously, her son was saved. His skull was slightly deformed due to the IUD compressing his head as he grew, but he survived, and Imelda thanked God for this gift of life.

Imelda with her family and Dr. Bullecer

A few years later, she joined the Commission on Family & Life and volunteered to speak about Natural Family Planning.

Thanks to our donors, HLI is able to support the mission in the Philippines and around the world to continue educating people on life and family issues and inspiring them to build the culture of life in their communities!